Romero must have noticed my nervousness, because he said, “Don’t worry ensign, you’ll do fine.” I asked, “Aren’t you going to bolster my bravery with some fictional Klingonese battle cry like ‘Today is a good day to die!’then give an evil laugh or something?” He shook his head and replied, “No sir, I’m not. The only Klingon I know of are on my hairy ass. In the deep black, there is only life and death, and death comes qui...

After my conversation with Ibanez and reviewing the computer defense programming , I considered the Captain’s conclusions while walking to my next destination. I contacted the gunnery chief. A standard sized freighter like the BharatBenz carries very little armament and no armor or shielding. Our turrets are the equivalent to a laser pistol against a Bolo class AI tank; give us enough time with our target at close range a...

Then it hit me and I said, “This isn’t a tadar ghost. It’s a ship or probe and it’s getting closer. Is it an EA vessel?” “This is nothing like I’ve ever seen and I thought I had seen everything built, until now. Maybe it’s a prototype or built from scratch. This type of equipment isn’t sold to civilian ships.” I gasped, “You mean pirates?” She said, “I don’t know and remember they’re called bandits now, but they are very...

All the way down the passageway, I heard the laughter and comments yelled after me from the crew’s mess. Today is just getting better and better. As I walked towards the tadar equipment compartment, I heard an announcement on the ships intercom for me to contact the CO. I quickly changed direction and hustled forward to the old man’s stateroom. She doesn’t like to be kept waiting. Captain Leopard was old for the spacefare...

I said, “It appears to be a tadar transmission, but it can’t be.” Pointing at the contradictory information I continued, “See here, the tachyon wave pattern is way off norm. This pattern is completely inefficient. The prototype tadars installed almost eighty years ago operated better than this. The power readings are crinkled too.” As Denton evaluated my findings, my concentration wandered to Carmen. She was attractive, b...

The wake-up alarm sounded in my quarters. That irritating oddly pitched buzz filled my head as my mind drifted into consciousness. They have scientifically created the sound that our hearing and brains can’t ignore. I think it is a combination of a baby’s cry, the sound of a cat whose tail is stepped on, and a nagging wife all rolled up into one sound, and then add a little screech of fingernails on a chalkboard. “I’m awa...

The Earth Alliance explorer class ship EAS Apotheosis cruised through the endless void at speeds unimaginable only a decade ago. The mark III PNP drive (pumped neutrino propulsion) moved the ship almost one million two hundred thousand miles per second, or six point four times the speed of light. With the realization of the PNP drive, humankind had entered a completely new realm of exploration and discovery. Space is vast...

After throwing Billy out of my room and my life, I lay in my bed and reflected on my life. I remembered the best moments and of my life and Doug was there. I relived, reluctantly but honestly, the worst times and Doug helped me though most of them. Being with him made things better. I had abandoned him. Why did I do that? In retrospect, it was sheer stupidity. Blinded by the promise of excitement and adventure, I deserted...

Dreamcatcher, Larry, wrote a story last month ‘I’m Arnold Palmer’ which reminded me of a joke; Jesus and Moses were playing golf one day. They approached a par three hole where the green was located on an island in a large pond. The green was accessed by a long pathway from the left side of the green to the shore. It was a fairly long shot from the tee to the green across the pond. Needless to say, a lot of golf balls wer...

“It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.” Roy Disney Lying in bed, I wait for the doctor to let me go home. An IV is in my arm attached to a bag hanging next to my bed. The slow drip of the liquid seems in time with my beating heart. The room is a light pastel yellow, cheerful but not overstated. A large tree is right outside my window overlooking the beautiful rose garden covering the lawn. La...

I have been encouraged by friends to write this. Some friends said it would be good for me and some said it might help others that are in similar circumstances. I’m not sure about either reason, but these are smart people and I trust them. I hope this doesn't upset anyone. I don’t want to cause distress to any of my friends here on Stories Space. I was concerned this might not be appropriate for this site, but I think tha...

A beautiful day in the parkNot a cloud in the blue skyA slight autumn breeze was blowingIt was a warm day, but dry I was only one in the crowdA fan since I was eightWe were all here for the big gameIt has been quite a wait It was historyMy kind of heavenEach team had won threeBest out of sevenIt was the last of the ninthThe Cubs were one behindA man on third and one outThe White Sox in a bind The team's captain was upThei...

I slowly awoke from my slumber. I heard the steady drone of a fan. I remembered the shadow of a dream as reality spread before my senses. I had been frightened and running, but I couldn't remember anything specific just a feeling of desperation. I began to notice my surroundings. I didn't know where I was. I didn't feel Billy curled up next to me. I wasn't even in my own bed. Memories sluggishly filled the void of my cons...

I felt numb. I needed clean clothes and a shower. I felt.... dirty. I needed to stop seeing Billy entwined with that woman as though their two bodies were one. The harder I tried not to think about it, the more I saw all the details in my head. I could still see her legs lifted across his shoulders. I could still hear the primitive sounds of their passion escaping their throats and her scream as she begged for more. I sti...

I’m running, fleeing in fear. It hunts, it stalks, and it’s relentless. Not machine, beast or man. Alone I face it. I can’t hide. No armor or fortress is protection. No bullet or blade can harm it. It will not die. I’m its victim, its prey. It comes in darkness or light. It hungers to feast on me. It devours my heart, mind, and soul. Hiding is hopeless. Evasion is doomed. I weep knowing its assault is just. It’s my greate...